Apparatus and method for handling large size corrugated paperboard panels

ABSTRACT

The corrugated paperboard panels can be interiorly equipped with one or more flat elongated metal straps for use as containers or temporary doors for grain-carrying freight cars. As the panels leave the corrugator, they follow a generally U-shaped path involving speed-up, transverse scoring, upsetting adjacent strap ends, and folding to provide panels suitable for immediate shipment.

United States Patent 1 Tonking, Jr.

[451 July 24, 1973 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING LARGE SIZE CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD PANELS [75] lnventor: Henry B. Tonking, Jr., Modesto,

Calif.

[73] Assignees: International Paper Company, New

York, N.Y.; The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn. part interest to each 221 Filed: Dec. 16,1970

21 Appl. No.: 98,691

[52] US. Cl. 93/1 R, 93/58 ST, 160/368 G [51] Int. Cl. B3lb 1/14, E040 5/18 [58] Field of Search....; 156/250, 253, 257;

93/84,1 R, 58.1, 58 ST; 160/368 G [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,794,761 6/1957 Williamson 160/368 G 2,739,635 3/1956 Seabome et a1 160/368 G X 3,224,496 12/1965 Bruning 160/368 G 2,486,091 10/1949 Adams et al. 93/84 R X Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant ExaminerE. F. Desmond AttorneyDawson, Tilton, Fallon & Lungmus [57] ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures w l lllllh.

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SHEET 2 [IF 3 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING LARGE SIZE CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD PANELS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION Heretofore the interest in making corrugated paperboard panels has focused on the corrugator itself without attention to what happens after a multi-ply panel is created. As a consequence, there have been not only substantial labor costs in the subsequent handling, but disadvantageous manipulation resulting in substantial waste. According to the instant invention, not only is labor cost reduced by the procedure and apparatus for subsequent handling of such panels, particularly in scoring and slitting the same, but the arrangement is uniquely compact so as to insure proper alignment for the subsequent manipulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention is described in conjunction with an illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view, essentially schematic, of the apparatus employed in the practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a grain door which is one of the useful products of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the integrating portion of the corrugators;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation view of a portion of the corrugator line, and corresponds essentially to a view taken along the sight line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is another fragmentary perspective view such as would be seen along the sight line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is still another fragmentary perspective view such as would be seen along the sight line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is yet another fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus as seen along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the folder portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9-9 ofv FIG. 8; and e FIG. '10 is a top plan view of a portion of the apparatus seen in FIG. 8. I

Although the invention is described in conjunction with temporary doors for grain-carrying freight cars such as is illustrated in FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that other multi-ply paperboard panels can be produced advantageously according to the method and apparatus of the inventiomFor example, container blanks such as those described in Nurreet al..U.S. Pat. No.

3,322,32l may also be produced. The embodiment pictured in FIG. 2 is disclosed in greater detail in Barton H. Ford U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,4l3. In FIG. 2, however, the numeral designates a door frame of a freight car to which is applied a temporary barricade 21. The temporary barricade 21 includes an outer liner 22, a corrugated core 23, and an interior liner 24. interposed between the outer liner 22 and the corrugated core 23 are a plurality of flat'metal straps 25.'The straps 25 are nailed to the door frame, and may be additionally secured by side battens as at 26. Each temporary barricade 21 is equipped with a floor flap 27 developed through a score line 28. Additionally, a score or fold line 29 is provided longitudinally centrally of the door 21 to permit folding thereof for shipment prior to use.

It will be appreciated that the doors are normally provided in pairs and shipped from a fabricating facility to a site of usage in the field, i.e., a grain elevator in the countryside.

Additionally, each door 21 is equipped with score or fold lines as at 30 which permit the development of side flaps as at 31. The side flaps are pivotable to the position seen in the left hand portion of FIG. 2 to expose the straps 25 for nailing. Thereafter, the flaps are repivoted to their initial, generally coplanar, relation with the remainder of the door 21 for securement as illustrated on the right hand side of FIG. 2.

The corrugator, generally designated 32, in FIG. 1, is of conventional construction. A delineation of such a corrugator can be seen in Williamson U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,761. In the practice of the instant invention, it is preferred to utilize the web arrangement pictured in FIG. 3 which differs essentially from the Williamson showing in omitting an intermediate web. In FIG. 3, the liners 24 and 22 are integrated with the core 23 and straps 25 by means of rolls 33 and 34. Thereafter the integrated multi-ply web is subjected to slitting and scoring rolls as at 35 and 36. The rolls 35 and 36 develop the fold lines 28 and 29, and, additionally, slit lines immediately adjacent the ends of the straps 25, these being designated in the left hand portion of FIG. 2 by the numerals 37 and 38.

Once the continuous multi-ply web, generally designated at 39 in FIG. 3, has been scored and slit by the rolls 35 and 36, it is conducted for a distance 40 during which air-drying occurs. After suitable air-drying of the multi-ply web, it encounters a transverse shearing mechanism generally designated 41 in FIG. 1 and illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4.

The shearing mechanism 41 includes a rotating knife roll 41 suitably journaled on a frame 43 provided as an integral part of the corrugator portion 40. The shearing mechanism 41 also includes an anvil stationary portion as at 44 against which the knife blade 45 operates to transversely shear through the multi-ply web 39. Alternatively, two rotating rolls may be used to develop the shearing action. In the production of grain doors 21, widths (measured in the direction of the length ofthe straps 25) of 96 inches or inches are normally provided. The height may likewise vary, normally being in the range of 6 to 8 feet. This is less than the height of the door opening defined by the frame 20 to permit an artisan to climb over the barricade 21 for the purpose of sampling the grain during shipment. Thus, the height of the door panel 21 is regulated by the width of the various webs 22-24, while the width of the door panel is dictated by the speed of rotation of the knife roll 42. For this purpose, the knife roll 42 is equipped with a drive (not shown, but which includes a cam 46 operatively associated with the slitting and scoring rolls 35 and 36). In the illustration given, this is achieved through microswitches 47 which govern the rotation of the knife roll 42 and the slitting and scoring rolls 35 and 36 so that the transverse cut occurs intermediate the length of the longitudinal slits 37 and 38.

After the multi-ply web 39 has been transversely slit g face speed of the conveyor associated with the corrugator portion 40. This establishes a spacing between successive web segments for subsequent manipulation.

Still referring to FIG. 5, the panels transported on the speed-up conveyor 48 are deposited on a transfer conveyor generally designated 51. The conveyor 51 includes a plurality of table rolls 52, the length of which is arranged parallel to the path followed by the multiply web 39 in the corrugator. The table rolls 52 are driven by a powered belt contained within the housing 53 which additionally serves as an abutment limiting the travel of the web segments in the first path in the inventive apparatus. As can be appreciated from FIG. 1, the first path defines one leg of the U shape when viewed in plan, with the conveyor 51 being positioned at the base of the first leg of the U and being operative to move the web segments in a second path which is at a right angle to the first path. As the web segments are advanced along the second path, they encounter a scoring mechanism generally designated 54 and which is equipped with a plurality of scoring wheels 55. Normally, only two of the wheels 55 are used for any one door 21, to establish the fold lines representing the interior edges of the side flaps 31.

As a web segment issues from the scoring mechanism 54, it encounters plows 56. The entering ends of the plows 56, as at 57, are positioned so as to ride on the under side of a panel segment, but above the ends of the straps 25. By virtue of the slitting represented by the slit lines 37, 38, the straps 25, at their ends, fall by gravity away from the corrugated core 23 when the entire panel is unsupported, as in the case with the movement of the panel segment on the table rolls 53. By virtue of the scoring provided along the lines 30, the side flaps pivot readily upwardly away from the straps so that there is a clear separation of the strap ends by the plows 56. This facilitates the installation following the procedure represented by the left and right hand sides, respectively, of FIG. 2.

' Once the straps have been loosened from the main body of the flaps 31, the panels become reintegrated, or essentially planar, by virtue of being received on a generally flat platform 58. The tendency of the over-all panel to rise under the engagement with the plows 56 is resisted by hold-down rolls, as at 59, provided as part of the frame 60 supporting the scoring mechanism 54. The folding mechanism 65 of FIG. 1 can be seen in longitudinal side elevation in FIG. 8, and is seen to include first and second conveyors 66 and 67. The first conveyor 66 has an upper belt run 68 and a lower belt run 69. As can be appreciated from FIG. 9, the conveyors 66 and 67 grip a web segment 70 closely adjacent to the fold line 29. The fold line 29 is itself positioned fairly close to a supporting rail 71 provided as part of the frame supporting the conveyor system 67. Thus, one-half of the panel is supported by virtue of engagement with the conveyors 66 and 67 and the rail 71. The remaining portion of the segment 70, as at 72, is unsupported as it issues from the platform 58 under the urging of the pusher mechanism 64. As the panel segment 70 enters further into the folder 65, it encounters first and second deflector bars as at 73 and 74. These operate to effectively turn the panel portion 72 underneath the panel 70 and position the portion 72 for engagement with a third conveyor generally designated 75. As can be appreciated from FIG. 8, the third conveyor 75 includes an upper run 76 which is essentially colinear and coplanar with the upper run 77 of the second conveyor 67. The third conveyor 75 has a terminal portion lower run 78 which is similarly oriented with respect to the lower run 79 of the second conveyor 67. The entering end portion of the third conveyor 75 has an angled portion developed by intermediate idler rolls as at 80 and 81. This picks up to the underfolded portion 72 (progressively folded through the position 72 in FIG. 9) and guides the'same into confronting contacting relation with the remainder of the panel portion so that a folded web segment results, and with the straps interiorly of the folded door. Thus, the entering half of the conveyor 66 and the conveyor 67 constitute a first system for partially supporting a blank, while the leaving half of the conveyor 66 and the third conveyor constitute a second system for supporting the folded blank.

By virtue of arranging the various conveyor means, I am able to perform various work functions on a grain door or panel blank with a minimum of wastage. In the past, there was a problem of satisfactorily removing a corrugated paperboard panel from the end of the elongated corrugator line. This often required the attention of a number of workers, and, an extensive area panel being difficult to handle, posed problems of proper support and alignment. Damage to the edges of the panel through improper manipulation resulted in high wastage rates. With the inventive arrangement, this is eliminated, and where the folding operation is employed, the panel is self-supporting and stabilizing by virtue of the double thickness. Also, the strap ends are confined interiorly of the panel, and thus remove a hazard to workmen in any subsequent handling operation. Still further, the various scoring and manipulating operations, including folding, are performed relatively soon after integration, so that the inherent pliability of a freshly formed panel is available to aid in the subsequent manipulations.

In this connection it will be appreciated that the speed-up conveyor 48 provides an advantageous station for the removal of imperfect panels. This may be done either automatically or manually, the rejected panels being removed along the portion designated 48a in FIG. 1.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing corrugated paper-board blanks comprising means for integrating at least three continuous sheets to provide a corrugated core multiply web advancing along a predetermined path, shear means in said path to transversely sever said web, first conveyor means in said path arranged to advance severed web segments in said path faster than said web, second conveyor means in said path for advancing said segments in a second path generally perpendicularly to and generally coplanar with said first path, and means in said second path for scoring said segments whereby segments are creased parallel to the flutes of the corrugated cores thereof, said integrating means also providing metal straps interiorly of said multi-ply web disposed transversely to the flutes of said core, plow means being operatively associated with said scoring means for separating the strap ends from the associated segment, and means in said second path for receiving said segments after scoring and plowing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said receiving means includes a platform sized to support a complete segment, abutment means in said second path engageable by a segment to stop the same, pusher means operatively associated with said platform and abutment means for moving each segment in a third path generally parallel to and opposite to said first path.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which folding means are interposed in said third path for longitudinally folding a segment on itself and along a score line parallel to the length of said straps.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said folding means includes two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said third path, rail means mounted in side-by-side relation to the first encountered conveyor system in said third path for cooperating therewith in supporting a segment portion on one side of said score line, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment.

5. Apparatus for producing grain doors comprising a conveyor arrangement generally disposed in U shape in plan, the first leg of said U shape including means for providing a generally planar multi-ply door having elongated straps interposed interiorly thereof and parallel to said first leg, the base of said U shape including means for scoring the edges of said door and exposing the ends of said straps, the second leg of said U shape including folding means for folding said multi-ply door on itself with the exposed ends of said straps positioned interiorly of the folded door, said folding means including two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said second leg, rail means mounted in sideby-side relation to the first-encountered conveyor system in said second leg for cooperating therewith and supporting a segment portion on one side thereof, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment.

6. A method for manipulating strap-equipped grain doors comprising advancing doors along a first path in spaced-apart relation, obstructing the advancement of doors along said first path and substantially simultaneously therewith advancing said doors along a second path generally perpendicular to and generally coplanar with said first path, scoring the edges of each door in said second path to separate strap ends from the door proper, stopping the movement of said doors in said second path and thereafter advancing said doors along a third path generally parallel to and opposite to the first path, and folding said doors longitudinally on themselves in said third path, the sides of said door in the beginning of said second path being relatively unsupported whereby the weight of said straps tends to separate the strap ends from the door proper, and plowing the strap ends away from said door proper in said second path.

7. Apparatus for producing corrugated paperboard blanks comprising means for integrating at least three continuous sheets to provide a corrugated core multiply web advancing along a predetermined path, shear means in said path to transversely sever said web, first conveyor means in said path arranged to advance severed web segments in said path faster than said web, second conveyor means in said path for advancing said segments in a second path generally perpendicularly to and generally coplanar with said first path, and means in said second path for scoring said segments whereby segments are creased parallel to the flutes of the corrugated cores thereof, means in said second path for receiving said segments after scoring, said receiving means including a platform sized to support a complete segment, abutment means in said second path engageable by a segment to stop the same, pusher means operatively associated with said platform and abutment means for moving each segment in a third path generally parallel to and opposite to said first path, folding means in said third path for folding a segment on itself along a fold line parallel to said third path, said folding means including two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said third path, rail means mounted in side-by-side relation to the firstencountered conveyor system in said third path for cooperating therewith in supporting a segment portion on one side of said score line, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment. 

1. Apparatus for producing corrugated paper-board blanks comprising means for integrating at least three continuous sheets to provide a corrugated core multi-ply web advancing along a predetermined path, shear means in said path to transversely sever said web, first conveyor means in said path arranged to advance severed web segments in said path faster than said web, second conveyor means in said path for advancing said segments in a second path generally perpendicularly to and generally coplanar with said first path, and means in said second path for scoring said segments whereby segments are creased parallel to the flutes of the corrugated cores thereof, said integrating means also providing metal straps interiorly of said multi-ply web disposed transversely to the flutes of said core, plow means being operatively associated with said scoring means for separating the strap ends from the associated segment, and means in said second path for receiving said segments after scoring and plowing.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said receiving means includes a platform sized to support a complete segment, abutment means in said second path engageable by a segment to stop the same, pusher means operatively associated with said platform and abutment means for moving each segment in a third path generally parallel to and opposite to said first path.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which folding means are interposed in said third path for longitudinally folding a segment on itself and along a score line parallel to the length of said straps.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said folding means includes two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said third path, rail means mounted in side-by-side relation to the first encountered conveyor system in said third path for cooperating therewith in supporting a segment portion on one side of said score line, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment.
 5. Apparatus for producing grain doors compriSing a conveyor arrangement generally disposed in U shape in plan, the first leg of said U shape including means for providing a generally planar multi-ply door having elongated straps interposed interiorly thereof and parallel to said first leg, the base of said U shape including means for scoring the edges of said door and exposing the ends of said straps, the second leg of said U shape including folding means for folding said multi-ply door on itself with the exposed ends of said straps positioned interiorly of the folded door, said folding means including two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said second leg, rail means mounted in side-by-side relation to the first-encountered conveyor system in said second leg for cooperating therewith and supporting a segment portion on one side thereof, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment.
 6. A method for manipulating strap-equipped grain doors comprising advancing doors along a first path in spaced-apart relation, obstructing the advancement of doors along said first path and substantially simultaneously therewith advancing said doors along a second path generally perpendicular to and generally coplanar with said first path, scoring the edges of each door in said second path to separate strap ends from the door proper, stopping the movement of said doors in said second path and thereafter advancing said doors along a third path generally parallel to and opposite to the first path, and folding said doors longitudinally on themselves in said third path, the sides of said door in the beginning of said second path being relatively unsupported whereby the weight of said straps tends to separate the strap ends from the door proper, and plowing the strap ends away from said door proper in said second path.
 7. Apparatus for producing corrugated paperboard blanks comprising means for integrating at least three continuous sheets to provide a corrugated core multi-ply web advancing along a predetermined path, shear means in said path to transversely sever said web, first conveyor means in said path arranged to advance severed web segments in said path faster than said web, second conveyor means in said path for advancing said segments in a second path generally perpendicularly to and generally coplanar with said first path, and means in said second path for scoring said segments whereby segments are creased parallel to the flutes of the corrugated cores thereof, means in said second path for receiving said segments after scoring, said receiving means including a platform sized to support a complete segment, abutment means in said second path engageable by a segment to stop the same, pusher means operatively associated with said platform and abutment means for moving each segment in a third path generally parallel to and opposite to said first path, folding means in said third path for folding a segment on itself along a fold line parallel to said third path, said folding means including two conveyor systems generally aligned in the direction of said third path, rail means mounted in side-by-side relation to the first-encountered conveyor system in said third path for cooperating therewith in supporting a segment portion on one side of said score line, means for deflecting the unsupported portion of each segment under the supported segment portion, the second encountered of said conveyor systems being constructed and arranged to grip and support a folded segment. 